U.S. Based Psychotherapist joins NCDDRR in post war Liberia

U.S. based Psychotherapist joins NCDDRR in post war Liberia.

Dover, DE, USA: A US Based psychotherapist is in route to Liberia as guest of the National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration (NCDDRR). Mr. W Kpangbala Sengbe will be in Liberia for a period of six months providing leadership in the development and design of a national psychosocial rehabilitative program for ex-combatants and war weary Liberians as the NCDDRR enters its last phase of the implementation of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Program.

During an interview from his Dover, Delaware residence, Mr. Sengbe said that he was gratified for the opportunity to return home and contribute to the human capital development and capacity building of ex-combatants and war weary Liberians as the country moves from crisis to civility. During the interview, he also revealed that he was recruited by the administration of the NCDDRR to lead the charge in developing programs, designing policies and implementing procedures through which social services and mental health treatments will be available for the identified individuals.

The NCDDRR has a national obligation to provide a clinical and psychological platform for ex-combatants and other victims of the civil crisis to be educated and receive the appropriate treatments for posttraumatic stress (PS) and other mental health challenges that continue to affect Liberians. This responsibility is enormous and must be taken seriously by the present administration and I am happy to be a member of the team that will make this a reality; Mr. Sengbe said.

Upon arrival in the country, the Former Financial Comptroller of the Ministry of Labor said that one of his first undertakings will be “the creation of national awareness” wherein programs of the commission are presented to the Liberian people for clearer understanding and support. He also said that he will actively engage the Government of Liberia and all stakeholders in understanding that mental illnesses must be given all the attentions needed and efforts to provide professional treatment regimens are fully funded by government and partners of the country.

Mr. Sengbe used the occasion to inform all Liberian human service professionals to actively get involved in the programs of the National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration. He also said that there will be extensive publicity about mental health and other social service needs of the population that the commission is servicing. He is urging all Liberians and other partners/donors to understand that without an informed and well rehabilitated population, all of the gains of the present administration will be at risk if those affected/inflicted with mental illnesses are left to roam the streets of the capital and other cities without proper treatments.



Prior to migrating to the United States about a decade ago, Mr. Sengbe served as Financial Comptroller of the Ministry of Labor in the 1990s and returned to Liberia as guest of the Ministry of Labor last year, immensely contributing to the restructuring of that Ministry while serving as a consultant to the present Labor Minister.

Mr. Sengbe brings several years of international administrative, clinical and mental health experiences to this national responsibility. While in the United States of America, Mr. Sengbe has held several managerial and clinical positions in human service organizations, among which include: Community Partnership Manager of the premier early childhood human development center in Washington, DC; Refugees and Immigration Contract Manager at the Lutheran Services in Southeastern Pennsylvania; Mobile Therapist and Behavioral Specialist Consultant in the States of Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. He presently provides therapeutic/clinical services to inmates diagnosed with mental illnesses at the largest correctional facility in his home State of Delaware.

Mr. Sengbe holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Liberia, graduate degree in Social Work (MSW) from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, and he is a candidate for Doctor in Education Leadership (EdD) degree from Argosy University in Arlington, Virginia. He is also Chairman/CEO of The Sengbe Group, Inc.; a private behavioral, education and business consultancy firm in the United States and Liberia.